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[Feature request] Don't track query parameters by default and declare which are to be tracked #23191

@SW-Vincent

Description

@SW-Vincent

Matomo Admins should be able to declare which URL query parameters they want to track rather than which one they do not want to track.
Considering neutral query parameters are often added through the referrer, it would be easier to declare which one we want to track, while reducing the "Others" row issue and being more GDPR compliant (minimization principle).
This is not incompatible with click IDs detection as they are detected even when the matching query parameter is not tracked (i'm not as sure for UTMs but since it is done for click IDs that shouldn't be much of an issue).
[Edit] This also means either :

  • a user would nead to declare site search query parameters
  • Matomo should include by default site search query paramaters to tracked query parameters, wether they are explicitly declared as tracked query parameters or not as long as they are declared as site search query parameters

Summary

Within Admin > Websites > Settings, a new "Handling tracking of query parameters" section should be added, with two options :

  • Track all by default and define an exclusion list ;
  • Track none by default and declare queries to track ;
    Image

The current "Global list of URL query parameters to exclude" section would only be displayed if the first option is selected.
Image
An alternate "Global list of URL query parameters to track" section would be displayed otherwise.

Of course, it implies changes within Admin > Websites > Manage section aswell.
Currently, there is only the following section :
Image
It could be completed by an "included parameters" section if we seek something close to the current UX.

---Edit---
This is not just a side request, this is a GDPR breach.
GDPR requires compliance by design, while the current way Matomo handles query parameters is bound to create GDPR issues by design. Additionnally, when there is a breach (which i assume happens to pretty much everyone using Matomo so far), it cannot be retroactively fixed as the GDPR tool works at visit scale.
Yes, Matomo is used by CNIL, but so far CNIL hasn't noticed any issue related to query parameters as they are not using any themselves.

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  • Matomo Version: Mostly cloud
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